Loose-leaf ring binder



Aug. 17, 1937. RAYNol-Ds 2,090,231

LOOSE LEAF RING BINDER 'F'iled Jan; 27, 1954 QJNVENTOR Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE LOOSE-LEAF RING BINDER Application January 27, 1934, Serial No. 708,551

3 Claims.

My present invention relates generally to looseleaf binders, and has particular reference to ring binders.

The type of device to which my invention has primary reference is usually composed of front and rear covers, a medial section or back with which a plurality of metal rings are associated, and a means for opening and closing the rings to permit the engagement thereover of looseleaf sheets. One of the difiiculties commonly encountered in the employment of looseleaf binders of this character arises from the fact that the movement of the sheets, when the binder is opened or closed, is caused to take place through the interengagement of the binder rings with the holes or perforations provided in the sheets. Not only is there a constant frictional engagement between the binder rings and the Walls of the perforations of the sheets, leading rapidly to injury of the sheets, but the outer sheets of a sheaf are subjected to severe strains and deformation, causing annoyance and damage, especially when the binder is heavily loaded.

It is a general object of my present invention to provide a device in association with a ring binder whose function it is to facilitate the movements of the sheets of the sheaf during the opening and closing of the binder, in a manner which relieves the sheets, and especially the outermost 0 sheets, of the wear and tear and strain hereinbefore illustratively specified.

I am aware of the fact that previous attempts have been made to provide devices of this general character, and I, myself, have heretofore successfully produced a device set forth in United States Letters Patent No. 1,894,241 which serves in a measure to accomplish the general objects of the present invention. I have found, however, that in a device which is, itself, in relatively intimate engagement with the rings of the binder, whereby the movements of the device itself are created by a frictional engagement between the binder rings and the device, diificulties quite akin to the ordinary difiiculties are encountered after the device has been subjected to a reasonable amount of use.

One of the features of my present invention lies in providing a means for facilitating the opening and closing of a looseleaf binder, the operation and functioning of which is independent of any engagement with the rings themselves. More particularly, my present invention provides a device which, when the binder is closed, automatically engages the rear edge of a sheaf of looseleaf sheets and brings them into a parallel relationship without any undue frictional engagement between the binder rings and either the sheets or the device itself.

I achieve the foregoing general objects, and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustratively exemplied in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a perspective View of a device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device;

Figure 3 is an end view With parts in section, illustrating the application of this invention to a conventional ring binder; and

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figure 3, but showing the binder progressively further closed.

The binder which I have chosen to illustrate, to explain the nature of my present invention, consists of the front and rear covers 20 and 2!,

' these covers being arranged in hinged relationship to the medial section or back 22 with which the binder rings 23 are associated. These rings are mounted on the backing 22 in any usual or convenient manner and are segmental, so that the series of rings may be opened in the usual manner to permit the application of the looseleaf sheets. The method of opening or closing the rings forms no part of my invention whatsoever.

For illustrative purposes, I have shown the binder loaded with a sheaf of looseleaf sheets, one half of the sheaf overlying the cover 2| and designated by the reference numeral 24, the other half 25 of the sheaf overlying the cover 20.

The present device consists of two rigid strips, preferably of metal, each of which has an inner arm and an outer arm at right angles thereto. The left-hand strip, in the drawing, has an inner arm 3 and an outer arm 33, and the righthand strip has the corresponding inner and outer arms 3 3 and 33. The strips are hinged together at the ends of the inner arms 34 and 34', as, for example, by means of the piano hinge 35.

Each strip is also provided with a longitudinal slot which has a portion in the outer arm and a portion in the inner arm, this slot being designated by the reference numeral 36 on the lefthand strip, and by the reference numeral 36 on the other strip.

The present device is applied to the binder while the latter is empty by opening the binder rings and slipping the device over one of the rings. ,The slots 36 and 5% permit the application of the device over the selected binder ring, and it is to be observed that this engagement is entirely loose and is merely for the purpose of holding the present device in position and not for the purpose of causing any frictional engagement between the binder ring and the walls of the slots 36 and 35. Quite to the contrary, these slots are made of a sufficient length and width to avoid any such frictional engagement.

After the looseleaf sheets are loaded into the binder and the rings closed, the parts assume the relationship of Figure 3 when the binder is opened. It will be observed that the outer arms 33 and 33 overlie the binder covers 20 and 2|,

respectively, and that the inner arms 34 and 34' are in a superposed relationship, with the' hinge 35 disposed near the axis of the binder rings 23. In Figure 3, the hinge 35 is not in exact alignment with the axis of the binder rings 23, but during no manipulation or use of the device does the hinge 35 move any farther away from the ring axis than shown in Figure 3; and where the appended claims include a reference to the fact that this hinge is in substantial alignment with the ring axis, it will be understood that a slight deviation, as shown in Figure 3, is contemplated when the binder is open.

Upon viewing Figures 3-6, it will be observed that the covers, when moved into parallel relationship to close the binder, do not directly engage the looseleaf sheets, .nor endeavor to bend these sheets, in an entirely unreasonable and unscientific manner about the hinge lines of the covers themselves. What actually happens is that the covers 23 and 2| bear upwardly against the outer arms 33 and 33 of the present device, causing the two strips to pivot, with respect to each other, so as to ultimately bring the strips intothe relationship of Figure 6, in which the outer arms 33 and 33 are in parallel relationship while the inner arms 34 and 34 are in alignment. By

virtue of the fact that the strips are hinged together at 35, along a line substantially coincident with the ring axis, it follows that the looseleaf sheets are caused to travel along a curve which has its center where it properly ought to be, viz., at substantially the axis of the binder rings. In other words, the closing movement of the strips causes the inner arms 34 and 34 to engage the rear edge of the corresponding sheaf and to push the sheaf bodily around the binder rings until the sheaf finally assumes the relationship of Figure 6, wherein the individual sheets are in substantial parallelism and are as close together as the curvature of the binder rings will permit.

Intergrally formed on the inner arm 34 are the arcuate fingers 31, the curvature being approximately one which has its center at the hinge line 35. These fingers are preferably struck out of the metal itself, whereby slots 38 result, but these slots are not essential and fulfill no function in connection with my invention. In the arm 34, however, slots are purposely provided to permit the free passage therethrough of the fingers 31. The arm 34 is also provided with the arcuate fingers 39, similarly curved, but projecting in the opposite direction. The formation of these fingers may result in the formation of openings or slots 43 (Figure 2), but these slots fulfill no function. The arm 34, however, is purposely provided with slots M to permit the free passage therethrough of the fingers 39.

When the covers 20 and 2| are brought into parallelism to close the binder, the parts move successively into the relationships shown in Figures 4-6, the hinge 35being prevented from falling below the ring axis by virtue of the fact that the fingers 31 and 39 encounter the backing 22 and serve as supports or struts.

It will be understood that my invention is not restricted to the use of only a single device with each binder. Thus, several devices constructed as herein illustrated and described may be mounted into association with any. one binder. For example, one device may be in engagement with one of the binder rings at one end of the binder, while another device may be mounted at the opposite end of the binder. Or, if preferred, a. single device may be employed with a width sufficient for it to engage over two or more of the binder rings. This would merely necessitate the provision of additional slots corresponding to the slots 36, and 35'.

Other ways may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, within the scope of the invention, for maintaining the hinge of the device in substantial alignment with the axis of the binder rings.

In general, it will be understood that changes in the details, herein described and illustrated for the purpose of explaining the nature of my invention, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. It is, therefore, intended that these details be interpreted as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, and illustrated its use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 18-- 1. The combination with a looseleaf ring binder adapted to accommodate a sheaf of looseleaf sheets, of a pair of rigid strips each of which comprises an inner arm and an outer arm perpendicular thereto, said strips being hinged together at the ends of the inner arms, the

hinge being substantially aligned with the axis;

of the binder rings, and the outer arms overlying the binder covers, respectively, and means carried by said strips for maintaining said hinge substantially in said alignment with the ring axis when the covers are brought into parallelism to close the binder, said means comprising arcuate fingers adapted to brace against the back of the binder during the closing operation, whereby when the binder is closed the inner arms will engage the rear edge of said sheaf and bring the sheets into parallel relationship.

2. The combination with a looseleaf ring binder adapted to accommodate a sheaf of looseleaf sheets, of a pair of rigid strips each of which comprises an inner arm and an outer arm perpendicular thereto, said strips being hingedtogather at the ends of the inner arms, the hinge being substantially aligned with the axis of the binder rings, and the outer arms overlying the binder covers, respectively, and means carried by said strips for maintaining said hinge substantially in said alignment with the ring axis when the covers are brought into parallelism to close the binder, said means comprising arcuate fingers carried by said inner arms, respectively,

and adapted to brace against the back of the binder during the closing operation, and a slot in each inner arm adapted to permit passage of the finger carried by the other inner arm when the'binder is opened, whereby when the binder is closed the inner arms will engage the rear edge of said sheaf and bring the sheets into parallel relationship.

'3. The combination with a looseleaf ring:

binder adapted to accommodate a sheaf of looseleaf sheets, of a pair of rigid sheet supporting members, each comprising an inner arm and an outer arm arranged substantially perpendicularly, means for hingedly connecting said members at the ends of their inner arms, and fingers carried by the inner arms of said members adapted to brace against the back of the binder during closing of the: binder for supporting the hinge connection between said members substantially in alignment with the axis of the rings so that when the binder is closed said inner arms of the hingedly connected members will engage the rear edge of said sheaf of sheets to bring the sheets into parallel relationship.

REGINALD M. RAYNOLDS. 

